Sallustius

He authored a Neoplatonic religious treatise titled On the Gods and the Cosmos, in support of Julian's pagan reaction against Christianity.

• Name — Salutius • Birth Name — Saturninius Secundus • Born — 4th century • Died — 4th century • Occupation — Bureaucrat and author • Years Active — 355–367 • Notable Works — On the Gods and the Cosmos • Office — Governor of Aquitania Governor of Africa Magister memoriae Praetorian prefect • Children — 1 son

Salutius's official name was Saturninius Secundus, as he is called in inscriptions and official documents. The la, or informal name, 'Salutius', sometimes 'Salustius', was otherwise the main way to refer to him. He was born to a non-senatorial family in Roman Gaul, and was a pagan. His career included governorships of Gallia Aquitania and Africa, as well as the position of magister memoriae at the imperial court. He probably held these offices under the emperor Constans, as he was already an old man by the time he was assigned to the staff of Julian Caesar in Gaul. It was probably through his counsel that Julian developed the skills of administration he displayed in Gaul. In 359 AD, Constantius II removed him from Gaul. When Julian became sole emperor, he raised Salutius to praetorian prefect of the Orient late in 361. One of Salutius' early tasks was to oversee the Chalcedon tribunal. Salutius accompanied his emperor on the Persian campaign, during which Julian was killed. As a sign of their great respect for him, the military command first nominated him to become their emperor, but Salutius refused the honor, pleading illness and old age, and the purple then fell to Jovian. After the return from Persia, Salutius continued in the office of praetorian prefect during the reign of Valentinian until he was replaced by Nebridius.

Salutius, and not his contemporary Flavius Sallustius, is almost certainly to be identified as the Salustios who, according to Photios, wrote the theological pamphlet On the Gods and the Cosmos (Περὶ θεῶν καὶ κόσμου Peri theōn kai kosmou). The work, a kind of catechism of 4th-century Hellenic paganism, owes much to that of Iamblichus of Chalcis, who synthesized Platonism with Pythagoreanism and theurgy, and also to Julian's own philosophical writings. The treatise is quite concise, and generally free of the lengthy metaphysical theorizing of the more detailed Neoplatonic texts. Its aim is in part "to parry the usual onslaughts of Christian polemic" in the face of Christianity's growing preeminence, and "me[e]t theology with theology".

Sallustius is recorded with the occupation philosopher. Recorded as a citizen of Ancient Rome. Recorded with the occupation writer.